Bob Poole's Water Cooler Hangout

Wrong

Does your company have a blog?

Are you using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and other social media for your business?

You need to be. You already know that.

But, do you know you need to wrap a strategy around how you are using all these amazing tools?

And, do you know you need to measure the results?

Otherwise, you're wasting a lot of time and you're going to give up.

And, that would be very wrong.

Photo compliments of yuan2003

Interview With Dan Pink

Dan Pink, author of the New York Times bestseller "A Whole New Mind" has another best seller. It's entitled "Drive - The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us."

I had the privilege of speaking with Dan today and discussing "Drive" and Motivation 3.0 among other subjects. Here is a recording of the interview. It is about 26 minutes long.For the sales people reading, you might enjoy our discussion on the merits of eliminating sales commissions.

I'll also be posting a transcribed version sometime in the next 24 hours if you'd rather read than listen.

Enjoy.

Did You Just Sucker Punch A Potential Customer

The growth of SPAM in your in-box is supposed to be flattening out. I thought so too but since December I've seen a large growth of junk coming in here.

The cost to to deal with it is estimated to be over $130 billion worldwide. Estimated U.S. cost is $42 Billion. A number of factors make up the cost including Spam control software and hardware, licensing fees, IT cost, and the greatest - user productivity cost.

There are professional spammers who send out millions of pieces of junk mail, hijack IP addresses, scrape email addresses, and use third-party servers. Sadly, a small number of ISP's are happy to sell their services to spammers at a premium price.

Here is what I don't understand though. People hate spam. For a legitimate business (by that I mean one that isn't engaged in ripping people off) to engage in spam is like personally visiting a potential customer in their home or office and and when they open their door you sucker punch them right in the face.

In the last 5 minutes, I have received spam email from:

• Netflix - which has become one of the worst offenders in the country
• File Center Inc. - which wants to offer me a lower price for something I don't use
• A professional spammer who is selling Viagra at 83% off.
• A photographer offering some kind of software 
• And, of course, a letter telling me I keep forgetting to pick up my $16.5 Million in Nigeria

By the end of today the list will grow to hundreds and too many of them will be from small businesses who think it is okay to buy a list of email addresses and then start sending to them. Others will be from people who got a list from a friend who got it from a friend who told them it was okay to email.

Here is the fact. If someone has not specifically told you that you have permission to send them email and you are emailing them - YOU ARE A SPAMMER!

I don't care if they did buy something from you within the last year. If they didn't give you specific permission to email them - YOU ARE A SPAMMER!

It's really simple. It's not gray. It is black and white.

No Permission = No Email Marketing

Photo compliments of Dave77459 on Flickr

Walk Away

A bit of advice if you're thinking of starting your own business. Sometimes you won't be able to choose who you work with. But, if you decide to coach, consult or mentor others, you have a choice and you need to think very carefully about it.

A friend from Australia is considering launching a new consultancy to help companies greatly improve their customer experience - or guest experience if you are in the hospitality business. She wanted my advice as a friend and as someone who has been providing these types of services for 25 years.

The most important piece of advice I gave her was to choose carefully who she agrees to work with. That might sound strange when you are just starting out and are looking for any kind of work from anyone. Shouldn't you accept the job and take the money even if you're gut says this client isn't right for you?

NO!

You will not be happy. The client is not likely to be happy. And, you'll leave the engagement feeling like you got too close to a black hole and it just sucked all the creativity and energy out of you.

When your gut says tells you to walk - walk. After first talking with some prospects, I've realized their way of conducting business or even their business ethics are not in alignment with mine. I nicely walk away. I've seen prospects publicly berate their staff (sometimes family) while telling me about how they need to do something about attracting more talented employees. I walked. And, I've been asked if I would be open to padding an invoice and splitting the money with the client. I ran.

Life is too short to spend it with people who make you feel the way I described.

You know what I'd do. Now, you have to make your own choice. 

Photo compliments of Jeremy Brooks

Is Complaining About Poor Service Windmill Tilting?

Bill is always looking for examples of extraordinary customer service but he says he doesn't experience it nearly as often as poor customer service. That probably does not qualify as breaking news to you.

Bill says that when he finds extraordinary service he makes sure to recognize the person directly and also by letting their company or supervisor know. I asked him what he does when he experiences bad customer service and I think his response is typical for a lot of us.

"I used to let the person know their service was unacceptable and also notify their management but I pretty much gave up doing that," says Bill. "I found out that most of the time the company and management did nothing or made excuses rather than taking responsibility and making the customer happy."

Personally, I haven't given up on letting people know despite the frustration that often accompanies my efforts. I think if you don't tell them you're unhappy and their service is unacceptable it is unlikely to change. But, sometimes I feel like I'm tilting at windmills.

For example, I print my own postage online. It's no different than using a postage meter which has been happening since 1920 when Pitney-Bowes invented it and got it approved by the USPS for commercial use. With online printing you can do even more things including printing photo stamps. I use ones with a photo of "Listen First - Sell Later" on the stamp. It's inexpensive marketing and every week someone who gets mail from me comments about the stamp. I'm happy to share with them how they can do it themselves.

But, back to customer service. I live in the little town of Perkasie, PA which is served by a post office that is probably less than half the size it needs to be. While the town is small the mailing area for Perkasie is huge. I'm sure it was created back when there were more cows than people. That has changed and now it is a very busy and understaffed place. However, I find that the postal employees there are a great group of people and my mail carrier gives exceptional service.

Then there is the one guy who usually mans the window in the lobby. Two people could work this window but other than holiday mailing season it is always the same guy. And, he doesn't care about good service. In fact, he seems angry that his customers can do what he get paid to do. He's the guy who weighs your mail and puts the stamp on it. And, he knows all the rules. Well, actually he kind of knows all the rules. Nobody knows all of them because the USPS is always changing them and some are contradictory.

It never fails that when he is presented with mail that is already stamped and all he needs to do is say thank you and put it in the bin to go out that he has to make a comment about it. He wants to argue about packaging, stamping, forms, and anything else that is presented. I've seen him do this with pretty much anyone that drops things off where he doesn't get to sell the stamps and interpret the rules.

Today, I mailed about a dozen books to people and I used media mail. The stamp I printed has media mail printed on it. When I gave him these packages and told him they were all media mail he looked like he wanted to open each one to make sure I wasn't including some kind of contraband. He then told me, "These should be stamped media mail." and proceeded to use a stamp older than the post office to stamp red "Media Mail" all over the packages.

I said, "The stamp itself already has media mail printed on it." "Well, someone might not read that." was his response as he continued stamping away in glee. Out of curiosity I looked online to see what the post office required. Here is the rule - Mark each piece "Media Mail" and "Presorted" or "PRSRT" in the postage area. That was exactly what I had done. And, once again he was wrong and making his own rules up.

Now this may not seem like terrible service to you but it really is. In fact, it is probably worse service than the person who just doesn't care. If the post office were a business it is most likely that they would be out of business. Upper management has gone to great lengths to encourage the use of their services in order to help stem the flow of red ink. This guy, for whatever reason, makes people want to do anything but do business with him.

AT&T mobile is being attacked right now by Verizon for providing poor service with their 3G network. You've seen the ads and I've read many a blog and tweet that seem to agree. You'd think they would be working really hard to keep every customer happy.

Nope. In fact they have a policy right now that is likely to drive people away. More on that in a future post. Meanwhile, you might want to check out Validas. They might be able save you money on your mobile phone bills. I have no connection to them but they saved me a pretty good chunk of money by letting me know about a better plan that AT&T never mentioned to me. And, I've been their customer since they bought Cingular!

How do you deal with poor customer service? Do you let them know? Do you let management know? Or, have you given up like Bill?

Selling and Marketing To The Different Person

Some of us thrive on risk and others fear making a mistake first and foremost. Laurie enjoys a good party as much as anyone while Jon hates the idea of idle chatter. Just give Paul the handouts for the workshop and he'll be happy. He has things to do and can't sit through one without constantly checking his email. Meanwhile, Marie sits right up front and takes copious notes.

Some people ask lots of questions in a sales situation but never listen to the answers. Others hang onto every word looking for you to say something they know can't be true. Like using the phrase "everyone likes." They know that's not possible and they automatically distrust you.

I know a man whose office doesn't look like he's ever in it and yet he's there every day. He uses a table instead of a desk that accumulates clutter. The photos on his credenza look like people who might have already been in the frame when he bought it. He speaks in a monotone with absolutely no emotion. In my opinion he has the personality of a dead mackerel and yet his fellow accountants elected him as their managing partner.

Then there is Alan who wants you to take care of all the details for him. He trusted you right away and even though he knows some people will let him down - he's not going to change. Jodi is more cautious. She needs to wait and see. Will you do what you say you'll do? Are you all style and no substance? She needs to know before she trusts and buys.

Why is any of this important? Do you want to be a successful marketer, sales person, communicator? People want to be communicated with in the way that makes them most comfortable. They won't tell you that but doing so is quite often the difference between success and failure.

They will tell you how to approach them and communicate if you take the time to listen, observe and learn. Marketers target their messages this way. Salespeople and small business owners seldom do and it would make all the difference in their lives, earnings and success if they did.

There are a number of resources you can find using Google. And, I'm going to put together some videos for you that I hope will help. Stay tuned.

Freezing Lizard Brains and Cows That Aren't Purple

My brain just froze! It has nothing to do with the weather (which is 15F) or the lizard (which you can learn more about here). At least I hope not.

Let me explain. For the past 3 days I have been immersed in:

1. Trying out some sales and marketing software that really excites me with its potential for small business.
2. Talking to as many people as possible about Linchpin and why they will want to read it.
3. Creating a new video which will launch soon. Here is my channel. I'll let you know when the new video is up for viewing.
4. Working with two new small business clients who want to change from their old style of marketing.
5. Collaborating with friends and tribe members (those are synonymous) on ideas including at least 5 new eBooks.

So, I just sat down to write a post to you. And, that's when my brain froze up. I didn't know what to write about first or last for that matter.

Let's start with talking about businesses that want to change how they market. Maybe this is you or someone you know.

You've been in business now for a while and you're doing okay. You made it past that first five years. You know you can do better but you're finding that the way you found customers for all the years you've been in business just isn't working anymore. Yellow pages don't work. Print ads don't work. You tried telemarketing and it worked once but now there are Do Not Call lists and you know people don't want to be bothered by your commercial when they are home relaxing. You used to be able to send out a letter or a postcard and count on responses but now even that is drying up if all you're doing is interrupting people.

You're ready to try something different. You keep hearing about social media and Twitter and Facebook and wonder if that is the answer. You hear about blogs but don't know the first thing about having one.

Marketing has changed and it wasn't evolution. It was a revolution. So, how do you start using it?

Here's the bad news. It's a lot of work. Instead of telling your advertising salesperson to run a new ad you're now the chief marketing officer. You always were but a lot of you delegated that part of the job. You'll have to go back to school in a manner of speaking. Your gut is correct and there is a lot to learn. But, there is plenty of help. Books, videos, CD's, support groups, forums, blogs, vlogs, consultants, coaches and mentors.

Right now a blog is the foundation of the new marketing. Tomorrow (and I mean soon) it could be a video blog. You're going to have to learn how to create relationships with people not for the purpose of selling them something but because you have some important value to offer them in the way of solutions and education and more.

You've got to be authentic and if you're not good with people you'd better hire someone who is because that's a quality - an art - that is indispensable in this new marketing.

Yep. It is going to be a lot of work even if you hire a coach or consultant or find a mentor. And, if they tell you anything differently - run.

It's your choice. You can adapt, learn, and join us and hang on for the ride when you do.

Or, you can forget everything I just wrote and don't change a thing. You can try and milk it for a while but that cow is drying up. And, it sure as heck isn't a purple one.

Microsoft Takes Their Revenge On XP Users

What is MS thinking? How many Windows machines do you think are still running the XP operating system? If you said millions you'd be correct. In fact, there are more machines running XP than running Vista. Vista was a dog and smart users never upgraded from XP which finally became a stable OS. The last number I saw said that over 60% of Windows users still use XP.

So what did Microsoft do with their new Windows 7? They made it so difficult to move from XP to 7 that you might have to hire someone to help. Basically, you have to do a clean install of your computer which means backing everything up to an external hard drive, wiping the system clean and then building it all over again.

Yep. That means you're going to need all the original disks for all the software on your computer. MS doesn't quite mention that in the directions you can see in the photo. They tell you that you will need to reinstall your software like Word or Office. I guess in their world computers only run software from Microsoft.

We have 4 computers running XP in my home and one running Vista. On just my laptop alone I have over 60 programs. That means I will have to find all the software on disks along with any necessary installation codes. Many of my programs were direct downloads from a company on the net. Again, I will have to find out where to download them again and I will need their serial numbers which are not always easy to find - at least for me. Many small businesses (me included) have powerful workstations running RAID for a lot more programs and complexity with it comes to wiping out the software and starting all over.

We will all have the issue of video, audio and network adapters. Many people will spend hours just trying to make their home network work again. By the way, you did write down all the wireless and network codes and put them where they are easy to find again - right?

If you bought your anti-virus or anti-spyware software more than two years ago it might never work with Windows 7. And, make sure you save a copy or all your documents and photos on that external hard drive. Otherwise it will be hasta la vista baby.

I'm fairly knowledgable about this kind of stuff. I've built many computers from scratch. But, I know I'm going to spend hours doing this and I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing.

What about all the millions of people who only know how to turn on their computer and use it? What will they do? Will they put the disk in and think it will upgrade like most all software they have ever used? What will they do when it doesn't work or worse destroys their information?

If you're a small business with a dozen or 12 dozen computers running Windows XP what are you doing to do? Windows no longer supports XP. You'll eventually have to upgrade. And, you'll most likely have to pay someone to do it. I suggest you have them do it on a Saturday and hope that your back in business by Monday.

From where I sit, Microsoft's decision to ignore Windows XP systems for upgrades smells like revenge for the installed base's overwhelming refusal to upgrade from XP to Vista.

How is that for treating your customer like you really value them!

Maybe it is time to visit my local Apple store.

Cutting Back on Meetings

I'm doing more and more meetings over the web and the telephone in the past year. Part of the reason is geographic. I just don't want to jump on planes anymore for the obvious reasons. But, I'm also meeting with more local prospects and clients the same way. By local, I'm talking about people who live within a couple of hours drive or train ride. For example, I've cut my trips down to NYC by 80%.

There are some great tools that you can use and it only makes sense to make the most of both yours and your client's time. And, by using online meetings, I have faster access to information that I can share. Even if you take your own laptop or use a client's connection it seems like there is always some hitch with their network allowing you to access it or some incompatibility. If I'm using my own computer from my own office, that problem is eliminated and costs are kept in check for everyone.

Here are the tools I use most of the time and why:

1. GoToMeeting - It works with no problems. It has email reminders and links. I can record the meeting and post it with a link if someone missed it. I can allow anyone in the meeting to take over and show their screen - or not. It also allows for written questions and comments or audio or all the above. And, I have not seen anything better.
2. GoToWebinar - Same as number 1 above but with more users and features. I haven't found anything to compare to it for the money.
3. I'm also using GoView a lot which I blogged about before. It is in Beta and free right now. By the way, I have no affiliation with Citrix which makes all three products. I'm just a very happy user.
4. I have tried several teleconferencing solutions. I can't say that any of them had a wonderful user experience. I want one that controls volumes from all the various callers if I'm going to do a large teleconference. However, I see myself using webinars more than ever. Teleconferencing may play a role in your marketing now but I see webinars taking over that market.
5. Video conferencing is still a hit or miss game for me. Whether it is one-to-one or a group the video is usually choppy and the audio isn't the greatest. You can put your own solution together with Adobe products and one of their partners but you'd better be ready to shell out the green. I'm going to try a company (iVisit) tomorrow that I've never used before between a group of us that have a regularly scheduled master mind meeting. I'll let you know how it goes.

What are you using for virtual meetings? Are you doing more virtual and less in-person? What tools do you use?

My Goals

Goals. We talk about them a lot this time of year. Individuals set them as well as companies. There are web sites to help you set them and more articles than you can shake a stick at. This isn't one of them.

I promised that I'd share my goals here with you. And, I'm keeping my promise. I've always been a goal setter and I always share them with friends and family who I know are both supportive and hold me accountable. What's better than to share with my friends here. Here are the big ones.

• Write a new book for print and have it finished by December 1, 2010.
• Collaborate on eBooks with several colleagues.
• Conduct a free monthly webinar beginning in Feb. 2010.
• Do an every other week video blog on Mr. Listen First.
• Comment on at least one other blog daily.
• Guest post on 6 other blogs.
• Reach and maintain a weight of 190 pounds.

Feel free to remind me, encourage or offer ideas.